Tag Archives: eBay

When we lived in Ontario we often visited the farmers markets in and around Kitchener-Waterloo (there were three). Then we moved to Montréal and found markets that were even more wonderful, especially the Marché Jean-Talon. Now we are back in Saskatchewan and like to visit the Saskatoon Farmers Market; except we live out of the city and it’s only open three days a week.

Online markets have become a big business in recent years, ebay being the leader. In these online markets, like all markets, we are dealing with individual vendors, not the market itself. Most are trustworthy, but buyers need a touch of skepticism when eyeing the bargains offered.

I overruled my skeptical nature on a recent purchase. A vendor was offering WordPerfect X9 at a ridiculously low price. I was suspicious, but the vendor’s description assured that it was the full version. I have bought software at bargain prices through ebay before and been satisfied. So I bit. Dumb move.

What I got was a link to download the software,which was indeed the full version. But no serial number was given or available. So what I have is a 30 day trial version that I could have obtained free of charge from the Corel website. Upon complaining to ebay I found that their guarantee does not extend to downloaded software. I wish the exceptions to their guarantee were displayed for all to see on their website.

So I’m left holding the bag, which will soon be empty when the 30 day trial period expires. I think I’ve learned the lesson, and it really didn’t cost that much. But I still want WordPerfect X9.

Faithful readers of this blog will have noticed that I was absent for almost a week. I want to sincerely thank everyone who continued to check out the posts on this blog, even while nothing new was being added.

No, I did not leave home on an extended trip, but other things came up which hindered me from being able to write for this blog. Here is my list of excuses:

1. My keyboard died. Because I do some translating and writing in French, I use a French-Canadian keyboard which has extra characters and a couple of extra keys. I have been using the same keyboard for 20 years. We have moved seven times in those years and I have lost track of how many computers I have used it with. It has performed faultlessly until the other day when I think I finally managed to jar something loose inside and it ceased to function. I stole the keyboard from my wife’s computer. I knew that would make life difficult around here if it continued, but it gave me time to buy another keyboard on eBay. For some reason, all the French-Canadian keyboards listed on eBay are located in Texas, so it will take a little time to get here. Meanwhile, a friend helped to salvage peace in our home by offering me an old keyboard that he wasn’t using.

2. I am planning major changes in my bookkeeping practice. This requires getting a website up and running and learning two new software programs. I am knee-deep in webinars for these programs.

3. I am having lengthy long distance phone calls regarding corrections to the proofs of a book that I translated.

4. I was asked to write an article for a school paper published by the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite and the deadline is approaching.

5. I received a request to write a Sunday School lesson.

6. I received an invitation to give a talk to the annual meeting of the Mennonite Historical Society of Saskatchewan. That meeting is still four months away, but it reminds me that I need to do more research for a booklet I want to write on the beginnings of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite in Saskatchewan.

7. Our internet was down for 24 hours.

8. I need to get caught up with my bookkeeping work.

9. Winter is approaching and there is still outdoor work that needs to be done.

10. We are experiencing an invasion of maple bugs (aka box elder beetles) of almost biblical proportions.

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Copyright notice

All the material posted here is written by me, Bob Goodnough, unless specifically attributed to another author, and is copyright. Feel free to re-blog any post but please include my name as author and this blog as the source.